Bosque del Apach & Ladd S. Gordon Waterfowl Complex

Bosque del Apache is a National Wildlife Refuge located by San Antonio, NM, south and east of Socorro. It is famous among wildlife photographers for the many thousands of birds that fly south to winter there. Most prominent are the Lesser and Greater Sandhill Cranes and the Snow Geese, but there are many others. The Friends of the Bosque is devoted to the Refuge and sponsors events to promote and support it. Ladd S. Gordon Waterfowl Complex is managed by the State of New Mexico and coordinates with Bosque del Apache to spread out the winter bird population between the two, particularly the cranes and the snow geese. Both refuges grow corn to attract the birds and both manage it to spread the population between themselves to minimize disease and hardship on the wintering birds. These pictures were taken at the Bernardo portion of the Ladd S. Gordon Waterfowl complex and at Bosque del Apache on the North Loop and at the North Ponds as you enter the Refuge from San Antonio.